Shop with Purpose

We live in a world where we are constantly thrown content that says go here, buy this, do this, own this.

Our minds are over saturated with this kind of content on a daily basis. I know, I’m a blogger and follow lots of other bloggers that are producing this kind of content. If you don’t know what exactly it is that we do, it is our job to essentially be advertisements for brands and companies to buy and support whatever product or service they are putting out there. When I started this journey and was given the opportunity to work with brands, I knew I didn’t want to work with just any brand. I wanted to represent, work along side, and showcase products from companies that I believed in. A brand that stood apart and was not just selling merchandise but was truly trying to make a difference.

The truth is, the older I get the less “stuff” I want and the things I own I want to be items I truly love. Now don’t get me wrong, I love to shop and I definitely shop frequently but over the years the way I shop has changed a little. It’s become less about having all the things and more about having the right things. If that resonates with you at all, if you are tired of all the clutter and the senseless stuff in your house and you want more of just the stuff that you love, keep reading!

As many of you know I love to thrift shop. I have been thrifting long before it was cool to thrift. Anyone else out there a long time thrifter and been doing it way before it became the trend?? I started thrifting with my mom when I was a little girl. On Saturdays it was our little outing to go thrifting together and if I was lucky I might get one thing. Still to this day when I go home this is what my mom and I do together… we thrift, and thrift some more, and always have fun seeing what kind of finds we will come home with. There is something so exciting about stumbling upon something really fabulous while thrifting! When you find it, it’s as if it was waiting there for you to take it home all along. Am I right fellow thrifters?! Going home after a shopping trip feeling like you just found the deal of the day is every thrifters dream and is what keeps us going back again and again to find that perfect find! It can be so tempting to buy all things while thrifting because everything tends to be super cheap. I used to have the mindset of, “oh it’s only $4 so although it may not be perfect I’ll get it anyway”. Over the years I have changed that and now I make a conscious effort to shop more with purpose!

Here are some of things I ask myself before buying:

Do you love it?
Do you like it a little or do you really love it? If it’s just okay, put it back because chances are you will get it home and it will hang in your closet more than you’ll actually wear it. So make sure it’s something you really do like and not just something that is mediocre.

Does it fit well?
This is a big one! We often buy things that may not fit perfectly but we liked it so we talked ourselves into buying it anyway. We buy things too small thinking we will lose the weight and fit into it soon or we buy things too big not realizing that we aren’t really shopping the right sizes for our body. Know your body type and know what sizes truly fit you! If those pants are a little too tight but you’re planning on losing 5 lbs in the next month to fit into them, put it back on the rack because chances are those pants are going to spend more time hanging in your closet than actually getting worn. When thrifting try on everything regardless of what the size on the tag says and make sure it’s a great fit before taking it home with you!

I just recently tried on a shirt while out thrifting that was absolutely fabulous! The style was so unique and fun but it was just a little too small. I was tempted to buy it regardless because it was just that good but I put it back knowing that if it didn’t fit me well it wasn’t worth adding it to my closet. Always take home what fits you well!

Is the quality worth it?
You’ll find when thrifting that a lot things are worn, or stained or maybe lost their shape. I only choose pieces that look almost like new. No matter the price, it’s never worth buying something that looks like it’s already lived it’s best life. Some things you might be able to mend or repair but in most cases save your money until you find something really worth buying and if you are really lucky you’ll find something new with the tags still on it. Those are the best finds!

Can you mix and match it to create several looks?
This is a new way of thinking for me! I dress a little more outside the box than I used to so I’m always thinking of different ways I might be able to wear something. Ask yourself if it’s something you can make work in more than one season or can you pair it was a couple different things to create more than one outfit. If the answer is yes, then it’s almost like you are purchasing more than one outfit while only buying one item.

What is it made out of?
Check the tags to see what it is made out of. My mother taught me this one. Will the fabric content require special washing or dry cleaning required? It is made out of fabric that will shrink easily or loose it’s shape after a couple washes? Is it made out of natural or synthetic fabrics? These are all things you may want to consider before you make that purchase!

If this isn’t how you currently shop it may take you awhile to transition this way of thinking. I know it did for me but the result is worth it! It’s so much easier to get dressed every day if what you have in your closet are things you love and fit you well. If half of your wardrobe are things that look worn out and are the wrong sizes, get rid of that stuff and slowly build up your closet by shopping with purpose. That’s the beauty of thrifting, it may not be the perfect thing for you but it might just be someone else’s find of the day!

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down and talking with the owner of Route, an online boutique that believes in ethical fashion and mindful purchasing. We shared our love of thrifting and wearing pieces we feel great in. She shared with me the story and purpose behind why she started her nonprofit. At Route they believe in the power of fashion to create change; that everything that we buy had a journey before it got to us. That journey might be positive and impactful or it may be harmful. Which is why at Route each piece is shopped with purpose to ensure sustainability and is ethically made.

This is not only a brand but a movement that I want to work along side and be a part of!

Join me in shopping with purpose- creating relationships that change lives and change the world!

Route carries handbags and jewelry accessories as well as a line of hand picked thrifted items! Go check it out HERE or follow them on Instagram for the latest HERE!